


What's a Video Game?

by TripCreates



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Aftermath of Violence, Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Urban Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Vampire, First Meetings, Getting to Know Each Other, M/M, Minor Violence, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-29
Updated: 2017-11-29
Packaged: 2019-02-08 10:58:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,995
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12863067
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TripCreates/pseuds/TripCreates
Summary: Life can be pretty boring for an immortal if you don't have anything to do, Shouyou thought. So when he tries to remedy that, he meets Kenma in a little coffee shop.





	What's a Video Game?

**Author's Note:**

  * For [linumlea](https://archiveofourown.org/users/linumlea/gifts).



> I'm so excited to be writing for the Haikyuu fandom again! I really enjoyed working on this fic and the following one to come tomorrow for [linumlea](http://linumlea.tumblr.com/). I hope you enjoy!

It was a quiet evening in the café. Shouyou sat tucked away against the wall, his cup of tea untouched and cold on the table. His book laid open in front of him but his eyes drifted around the shop more than it did on the pages. It’s not like he _really_ intended to read it anyway. Shouyou liked watching the people around him, learning all he could about this new era he’d awoken in. Things were so much different now and it was all very exciting.

Kageyama thought it was waste of time, watching the humans as he did, but Shouyou didn’t care. He enjoyed it and chatting with them when he could. Despite his nature, he still enjoyed being around people and interacting with them. He’d always been a people person. Other vampires could be such a bore in his opinion and one had to do something to pass the time when you’re immortal.

And even with Kageyama’s constant warnings, Shouyou was smart enough not to get close enough to someone or hang around the same place for too long. He knew the dangers of what it could mean for him and the rest of his kind if someone found out what he was. (He already experience those consequences once and he wasn’t going through _that_ again.) Still didn’t mean he wasn’t sad when he couldn’t make friends with the people he met but as long as he took precautions, everything would be okay.

That was until someone caught Shouyou’s eye at this new café. He noticed the man on his first visit and was there every time that he stopped by. He was a quiet, unassuming young man that mostly kept to himself. He had dyed blond hair with dark roots showing and hunched shoulders. (It was probably because he was always leaning over a small, blue device in his hands every time Shouyou saw him.) Based on the backpack he always carried and the age he looked, Shouyou assumed the blond was a student at the nearby university. Every evening, Shouyou watched him sit alone until an employee joined him before they left together. From the conversations he overheard between them, he learned the blond’s name was Kenma and the other was Kuroo.

Shouyou always kept his distancing despite wanting to talk to him. He was worried it would cause too much attention to himself if he approached someone that clearly wanted to be left alone. There were always others to talk to instead, he told himself. So, that’s what Shouyou did and let Kenma be.

It was after six-thirty and as usual, Kenma’s friend approached the table. They talked briefly, and as Shouyou avoided listening in to their private conversation, whatever was said annoyed Kenma. A couple of minutes later, Kenma put his things in his backpack and headed for the door alone.

Shouyou watched him leave and suddenly lost his interest in staying at the café. He wasn’t ready to return home yet so a walk around the city sounded like a better alternative. He picked up his full cup of tea and dumped it into the trashcan as he made his way to the door, book tucked underneath his arm.

The cool breeze hit is face once he stepped outside. He looked around before he picked a random direction, letting his feet lead the way. This method often worked, leading him to interesting places he wouldn’t have found any other way. As he walked around the corner, he saw familiar blond and black hair. Shouyou hadn’t anticipated to see Kenma outside of the café like this. He continued down the sidewalk, his eyes locked on the man ahead of him. He was curious to see where Kenma was heading but decided against it, not wanting Kenma to notice him following.

Before Shouyou cut down another a side street, he watched as Kenma passed three men leaning against the side of a building, paying them no mind as he looked at his phone, and missed the way their heads followed him. After a few paces, the men began following Kenma and Shouyou narrowed his eyes. He didn’t like the looks of this.

 

 

It was over sooner than Kenma expected. One minute, he’s being punched as three men demanded his things that he refused to hand over and then the next, he heard a shout and the men ran away.

He heard footsteps approach him. “Are you alright?” a gentle voice asked.

Kenma glanced up, still on his knees from one of the punches that knocked him over, to see what was going on. He was met with the sight of a short man with bright orange hair. This was the person that scared the others away?

“I’m fine,” he replied. His bottom lip stung when he spoke and there was the taste of blood in his mouth. It must have split from the first punch.

Kenma pushed himself off the dirty alleyway ground and swayed a little. The man shot forward and grabbed his arm, steadying him. Now that they were closer and Kenma could see his face better, he recognized the man from the café. He remembered catching him looking in his direction a few times.

Kenma pulled away from him once he was steady and asked, “What happened to the men attacking me?” He glanced around to make sure they were really gone and found just the two of them alone.

“They took off running when I showed up and told them to leave you alone. I guess I scared them real good,” the man said with a chuckle, placing his hands on his hips.

Kenma looked him up and down. He didn’t look very threatening seeing how he was even smaller than Kenma himself and didn’t think see how anyone would be frightened by him. Then men must have just taken off since they got caught.

“Well, thank you,” he said.

The man smiled at him. “There’s no need to thank me. I’m glad I was able to help. Are you sure you’re okay though?”

Kenma noticed him staring at his bloody lip and nodded. “I’ll be fine. I don’t think they did any serious damage.”

He began walking back towards the main street, wanting to hurry up and finally get home, and the shorter man followed beside him. Kenma wasn’t sure what else the man wanted. He already thanked him for helping him not be mugged, but he didn’t know what else to do in this situation.

“By the way, I’m Hinata Shouyou. What’s your name?”

Kenma hesitated as he glanced over at him. The man did save him after all so it wouldn’t hurt to tell him his name. “Kozume… Kenma.”

Shouyou smiled at him again. “It’s nice to meet, Kenma, despite the bad circumstance. I’ve actually seen you at the café I go to and I’ve been trying to think of a way to introduce myself.”

“Did you follow me?” A wave of paranoia washed of Kenma. He was grateful for the help but not if this guy turned out to be a creep as well.

“No!” Shouyou exclaimed, waving his hands defensively in front of him.  “I just happened to be walking in the same direction as you when I noticed those men began to follow after you. I was worried they would try to hurt you, so that’s why I chased after.”

Kenma studied him for a moment and eventually deemed his words to be true. He turned his gaze ahead of him again and noticed the concerned and questioning looks thrown his way by passersby. He was sure the busted lip was getting the attention. He pulled his hood on and lowered his head, hoping it was enough to get people to stop staring at him. Once he was home, he would clean himself up and assess the damage. He hoped it wouldn’t take long to heal so his classmates or professors wouldn’t give him any extra attention over it.

He wasn’t looking forward to explaining the incident to Kuroo when he got home either. Kenma didn’t want his friend feeling like he was to blame.

“Kenma?”

Shouyou’s voice pulled him from his thoughts and he looked over at him. “Yes?”

“Are you going to be okay going home alone?” Shouyou asked.

Kenma realized they were now at the station. “I’ll be alright. Thanks, again.”

Shouyou smiled a bright, toothy grin at him. “Please get home safely then. Maybe I’ll see you around?”

He gives Kenma a hopeful look and Kenma can’t help but nod in return. “I’ll be in my usual spot tomorrow afternoon,” he says.

“Great! I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Kenma nodded again, then dropping his gaze. “Uh, goodbye,” he said before quickly turning toward the turnstile.

He found an empty seat and sat down, pulling his phone out of his pocket. As he mindlessly played a game on his phone, he couldn’t help but think how oddly sharp Shouyou’s teeth were.

 

 

The following evening, Shouyou was practically bouncing around the room as he readied himself to go out. He couldn’t believe he was going to see Kenma again and actually get the chance to talk with him. They hardly had the chance to the previous and there was so much he wanted to ask him. What was he studying in university? What does he like to do for fun? What’s the device he always has out with him?

“What are you so excited about?” came Kageyama’s voice.

Shouyou glanced over to Kageyama standing in his door way, giving him a calculated look. He pulled on his hoodie and walked towards him. “Just happy to go out.”

Kageyama didn’t move out of the way as he continued to stare him down. “You’re not trying to be friends with a human again, are you?” he asked coldly.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he lied. Shouyou tried to move past him but Kageyama was quick to block the way.

He crossed his arms against his chest and said, “Don’t lie to me, dumbass. You’re still doing that same crap you did before that landed you in trouble.”

Shouyou’s smile slipped away into a frown as he clenched his hands into fists. “This isn’t like last time,” he replied, gritting his teeth. He pushed past Kageyama and walked away without looking back.

As Shouyou made his way to the café, he reaffirmed to himself this wasn’t like last time. He was being more careful about not getting too close too Kenma. Things went too far, too fast last time and got out of his control. As long as Kenma never found out his true nature and remained a human, it wouldn’t end like before. 

All his worries faded when he saw Kenma through the window as he walked to the café door. Kenma’s eyes met his as he entered and a smile returned to Shouyou’s lips. He waved as he walked toward the back of the shop. Kenma simply nodded in return before dropping his eyes back down to the device in his hands.

“Evening, Kenma. How are you feeling?” Shouyou asked once he reached the table.

“I’m doing well. You can sit down if you like,” he replied, gesturing to the empty chair opposite of him.

Shouyou dropped down into the chair and gave him a look over. Kenma did look better than when Shouyou left him last night, although his lip still needed more time to heal. (He was glad he kept himself under control last night when Kenma’s lip was bleeding. Someone younger might not have.)

“Are you not going to get anything to drink?” Kenma asked, picking up his own cup.

Shouyou shifted in his seat as he answered, “Maybe later.”

Kenma nodded before taking a sip.

Shouyou was glad he didn’t press the matter. It would be awkward if he got something and didn’t drink it in front of him. The less questions he raised, the better for everyone. “You come here quite often, don’t you?” he asked to keep the conversation going.

“Only to appease my friend. He works here and complains I don’t get out of our apartment enough. So, I come here after class.” Kenma barely looked up at him as he spoke, keeping his eyes locked on the thing in front of him. “I just spend the time playing until he gets off work.”

“And what are you… playing?” Shouyou tentatively asked.

“This new one called _Knight’s Inquisition_.”

Kenma still kept his eyes down as he spoke but Shouyou didn’t mind. He was just glad Kenma was speaking with him so freely. “And what do you do with it?”

Kenma shrugged his shoulders. “it’s just a fantasy video game where you have go around and fight creatures.”

“What’s a video game?” Shouyou blurted out as he leaned forward, propping his arms on the table.

That got Kenma’s attention. He slowly looked up at him, his brow furrowed in confusion. “What?” His eyes then looked up past Shouyou. “Can we help you?”

Shouyou already knew who it was before he turned around. “Kageyama, what are you doing here?” he asked as he turned around to look up at him.

Kageyama frown deepened as his eyes darted from Kenma to Shouyou. “I need to speak with you, Hinata,” he said coldly.

“Can it wait? I’m kind of in the middle of something.” He already knew what he was going to say and frankly, he didn’t want to hear it.

“No.”

Shouyou could tell Kageyama wasn’t going to back down from this, but he didn’t want to continue arguing in front of Kenma’s watchful gaze.

“Alright, I’ll meet you outside in a couple of minutes.”

Kageyama leaned down, closer to Shouyou’s level. “If not, I’ll come back and drag you out myself.”

Shouyou was surprised he didn’t do it now but it was probably because he didn’t want to cause a scene. He was grateful for that and smiled up at Kageyama before he turned and left.

“He’s a bit scary,” Kenma said, drawing Shouyou’s attention back to him.

Shouyou rubbed the back of his neck and chuckled. “Sorry about him. I wasn’t expecting him to show up like that. Looks like I’ll have to cut this evening short,” he sighed, slumping down into his chair. He wanted more than five minutes with Kenma. It wasn’t fair.

Kenma was quiet for a minute before saying, “We can meet up again, if you like. It doesn’t have to be here either. We can go somewhere else.”

Shouyou perked back up at the offer, grinning as he sat up straight in his chair. “That would be great!”

Kenma’s gaze met his and smiled at him for the first time since they met. Shouyou’s stomach did a little flip. “We can exchange numbers so we can discuss it later. What’s yours?” he asked. He paused his game and set it on the table to pull his phone out of his jacket pocket.

“Oh,” Shouyou said, freezing up. He had a cellphone since the other vampires he was with suggested he get one to acclimate to the current times, but he still hadn’t fully learned how to use it nor talk to anyone with it. It was a confusing device. “Um, it’s a new phone so I don’t have the number memorized yet,” he stalled.

Kenma shrugged a shoulder. “That’s okay. I can add my contact info to your phone and then you can text me so I’ll have yours,” he explained like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Shouyou nodded as he pulled his phone of his hoodie pocket and handed it over.

“You really should put a password on this so someone can’t get into your phone,” Kenma said with a smirk as he began tapping away on the screen.

Shouyou watched him intently, wondering if he could get the man to show him how to use the phone. He wasn’t going to ask Kageyama for help, especially after how he was acting tonight. It didn’t take long for Kenma to enter his information and hand the phone back. “Thank you,” he said as took it.

Kenma nodded as he picked his game back up. “You probably shouldn’t keep your friend waiting anymore. He’s staring at us through the window.”

Shouyou followed Kenma’s gaze to the window and frowned at Kageyama, who was in fact staring directly at them. “Yes, I should go.” He reluctantly pushed himself up from the table. “It was nice to see you again, Kenma. I’m glad you’re doing better.”

“Thanks. See you around.”

Shouyou slipped his phone back into his pocket as he headed for the door. He would send Kenma a text later once he was out of Kageyama’s sight.

Kageyama’s frown has lessened into more of a concern look by the time Shouyou met him on the sidewalk. “You’re sure this won’t be like last time?” he asked as they began walking away.

Shouyou was surprised by the lack of yelling or harsh words coming from his friend.

“I’m sure,” he said confidently. He wasn’t going to let anything go wrong this time around nor let Kenma get hurt.

“Good. I won’t let you make _that_ bad decision twice.”

 

Kenma watched Shouyou exit the café, disappointed to see him gone so soon.

“Looks like someone made a friend,” Kuroo said as he slid into Shouyou’s vacated chair, resting his elbows on the table as he grinned at Kenma.

“Maybe.” Kenma dropped his gaze back onto the screen as he resumed the game and continued fighting off the giant beast.

He knew Kuroo was staring at him, studying him for a moment. But he ignored him and continued to play.

“Are you going to see him again?”

“Probably.”

There was something odd and intriguing about Hinata Shouyou and Kenma couldn’t help but feel drawn to him. And Kenma was determined to figure out why that was.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Not gonna lie but I really like this little idea I came up with for this oneshot and I'm considering writing more for it in the future. So if you liked this, let me know and I might be motivated to write more of it!
> 
> Edit 12/15: After rewatching the series again, I realized Hinata has a flip phone in canon but this, I'm just going to keep it as a smart phone. Make it a little more confusing for him later on.
> 
> If you liked this and want to reblog on tumblr, use this [post](http://bekasyura.tumblr.com/post/168014585551/whats-a-video-game).
> 
> You can find me on [twitter](https://twitter.com/tripcreates) as @tripcreates and [tumblr](http://bekasyura.tumblr.com/) as bekasyura. Feel free to come and talk to me about Haikyuu!


End file.
